Carver + Schicketanz Architects’ eco-friendly renovation earned this mid-century-modern home LEED Platinum certification and proved that when it comes to building sustainably, it’s all about the little things.

A bird flying over Houston, Texas, sees only a sprawling canopy of trees. It seems the perfect nesting place for creatures both avian and human alike; unfortunately, the green ends at the tree line. All of those leafy branches shade a city that appears to care little for sustainable design, with cars that chug gas by the low-mileage gallon and oversized houses that dominate the persistently expanding cityscape.